Palawan, which is ranked as one of the best islands in the world, has so much to offer. If I were to choose an island to get stranded in, it would Palawan because I can't get enough of its beauty! Once you lay your eyes on it, you'll know you're in paradise. 

Palawan is divided into three provinces which is then broken up into cities. The most popular province for tourists is Palawan del Norte. This is where Coron, Busuanga, Culion and El Nido are located. Palawan Oriental is slowly gaining attraction with opening up San Vicente. I haven't been there yet but they said it's the longest white beach in the Philippines.

I've been to Puerto Princesa, which is the capital of Palawan three times and Coron another three times but it was my first time in El Nido last September. I've always wanted to go but my plans never pushed through. This trip also almost got cancelled because my boyfriend last minute couldn't go due to work but my friend Chelsea was game to take his place. I'm so happy that I finally went because among all the cities in Palawan, El Nido is definitely my favorite. 

El Nido is more expensive compared to the other cities. The flight alone was already PHP8000 round trip but there's only one airline so you don't have another choice. Only AirSwift flies directly to El Nido. To save on costs, you can opt to fly to the neighboring cities then just take another flight or van to El Nido but it would take another 4-7 hours of waiting and travel time. We'd rather spend a little more for the convenience.

We stayed at Frangipani El Nido which is a beachfront boutique hotel located in Corong-Corong. From the airport, it's a 40 minute drive. What I love about it is that you don't have to go out of the hotel because everything you want is already there. It may be small but it's complete! They have a bar, a great Filipino restaurant and you're own private beach with a speedboat to take you there. Doesn't that sound amazing? 

Cala El Nido serves your favorite Filipino dishes. There's an ala carte menu or you can opt for their Fiesta platter where they serve you four dishes showcasing what Filipino cuisine is about. Starting from appetizer to dessert.

Rubra El Nido is Frangipani's in-house bar that's open all day long. They have everything from your classy bellini to your gin tonic. Which you can customize to your liking because they have all kinds of bitters!

Three Coconuts is your own private beach less than 15 minutes away from the hotel. The hotel itself is beachfront but there's an even more impressive beach that the guests have exclusive access to. 

Frangipani has their own chartered boat which will take you to Three Coconuts. For the entire day, you can just lay on the beach without being interrupted by any guests. Plus you have your own private staff who will prepare you the most delicious boodle fight.

Work, family, bills to pay, and other priorities are just some factors that can leave you feeling burnt out. There are ways to help overcome this. I usually work out or travel when I want to de-stress. It helps clear my mind and keeps the endorphins flowing. It has never crossed my mind to attend a yoga retreat but when I heard that SoulSpeak was at Sundowners Zambales and we'll be doing yoga everyday (which is a good form exercise) it sounded like my kind of place. 

When I think of the word retreat, the first thing that comes to mind are the school retreats I had to attend for Christian Living. Those were always fun because it was an excuse to go out of town with my classmates/ friends. But for this retreat, I wasn't going to know anyone. I'd be with strangers for three whole days. I forced my boyfriend to accompany me even if all the other participants were women. He's never done yoga in his life but he's into mindful meditation and because he loves me, he agreed!

We were 15 strangers with different backgrounds but with one goal in mind: to retreat. The word retreat means, "An act of moving back or withdrawing." We did just that. We left all our worries back in Manila to live in the moment. 

We stayed in the 5 Bedroom Grand Pool Villa. I loved how the villa was tropical themed. Each room was designed differently but it felt very Greek inspired.

Our first activity was a simple ice breaker/ getting to know you. We all formed one big circle and picked a card from the deck. We were tasked to connect the card to why we were there and share a bit about ourselves. Everyone had their own story- some were tired from work, some were going through big changes and needed clarity, while others were there as a bonding experience with their friends. For me, I was troubled about my career path and hoped that the retreat would give me some answers. Oh and I love yoga! (I've been practicing on and off for over four years already)

helping reduce stress and create a deep sense of peace and well-being. This was a new experience for me.

Our second day started at 9 am for a pilates/ yoga session with Teacher Shiloh. It feels good to work up a sweat early in the morning.

I've been feeling stuck for quite some time now. Now matter how hard I try to get back on track, I keep getting lost along the way. As someone in her mid 20s, it's perfectly okay not to have everything figured out. This is the age of self-discovery. Go on that trip that you've been saving for, take your dream job even if it doesn't pay so well and spend on yourself without feeling guilty. While you're not married/ with kids yet, be selfish. It's the only time in your life that you have the luxury to do so. 

Here are some quotes that helped me get through some dark days. Hope you find some inspiration in them too.

1. You can never expect to succeed if you only put work on the days you feel like it.

2. People romanticize their plans but dread the execution. The magic you're looking for is in the work you're avoiding.

3. You have to be bad at something before you are good at it.

4. You're not too old and it is not too late.

5. If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can't hear them anymore.

6. These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.

7. If you want to fly, you need to give up everything that weighs you down.

8. Don't let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad life.

9. Act as if what you do makes a difference, it does.

10.  Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine.